Method and system for processing directory events

ABSTRACT

A directory event system for providing timely event notifications of each data manipulation of a master directory database and for providing timely event notifications of each corresponding data replication to a replicate directory database is disclosed. The directory event system includes an event master server, one or more event service servers, and one or more event client servers. For an event client server having directory clients in electrical communication with the master directory database, the event master server provides an event notification to the event client server in response to a data manipulation of the master directory database by a directory service provider server. The master directory clients can immediately poll the master directory database for the manipulated data upon receipt of an event notification from the event client server. For an event client server having directory clients in electrical communication with the replicate directory database, the event master server provides an event message to an event service server in response to the data manipulation of the master directory database by the directory service provider server. The event message includes the event notification and the sequence number, and the event service server provides the event notification to the event client server upon a replication of the sequence number within the replicate directory database. The replicate directory clients can poll the replicate directory database for the manipulated data upon receipt of the event notification from the event client server.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to the management of directory events, and more particularly relates to the synchronization and ordering of directory events in a highly distributed directory environment.

2. Description of the Related Art

A directory service provider server which controls any manipulation of data stored within a master directory database as requested by a directory client. For each data manipulation, the directory service provider server transmits an event notification describing the data manipulation to all directory clients. The performance of the directory service provider server in manipulating data stored within the master directory database in accordance with numerous received requests from one or more directory clients can be impeded as the directory service provider server concurrently attempts to transmit corresponding event notifications to all of the directory clients. This is particularly true when the directory service provider server is also receiving new data manipulation requests from directory clients.

Also, in a highly distributed environment where numerous directory clients have registered to receive directory events, the processing overhead for event notification by the directory service provider server can become significant. This will not only affect the directory service provider server's processing of event notifications, but potentially other processes in the environment as well.

Additionally, transmission of an event notification by the directory service provider server to a directory client can arrive to the directory client a significant amount of time before the manipulated data has been replicated by the master directory database in all replicate directory databases. A directory client may therefore futilely attempt to access a corresponding replicate directory database for the manipulated data prior to the master directory database's replication of the manipulated data into that particular replicate directory database.

The computer industry is therefore continually striving to improve upon the processing of directory events in a distributed environment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One form of the present invention is a directory event method. A directory service provider server is operated to perform a data manipulation within a master directory database. An event master server is operated to assign a sequence number to the data manipulation, and to store the sequence number within the master directory database.

A second form of the present invention is a directory event system comprising a master directory database, a directory service provider server, and a event master server. The master directory database is operable to store data. The directory service provider server is operable to manipulate the data. The event master server is operable to assign a sequence number to any manipulation of the data within the master directory database by the directory service provider server.

A third form of the present invention is a computer program product in a computer useable medium. The computer program product comprises a means for monitoring a first queue for a modified message; a means for assigning a first sequence number to said modified message when said modified message is within said first queue; a means for storing said first sequence number within a master directory database; and a means for providing an event message including said first sequence number and an event notification.

The foregoing forms and other forms, features and advantages of the invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the invention rather than limiting, the scope of the invention being defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is schematic diagram of network of distributed data processing systems in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram of a computer architecture of a data processing system as known in the art;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an architecture of a directory event system in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3A is flowchart of one embodiment of an event message routine in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 3B is flowchart of one embodiment of an event notification routine in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference now to the figures, FIG. 1A depicts a network of data processing systems. Distributed data processing system 10 contains a network 20, a network 21, a network 22, a network 23, and a network 24, which are the media used to provide communications links between various devices and computers connected together within distributed data processing system 10. Network 20, network 21, network 22, network 23, and network 24 may include permanent connections, such as wire or fiber optic cables, or temporary connections made through telephone or wireless communications.

In the depicted example, a directory service provider server 30, an event master server 40, an event service server 41, and an event client server 44 are connected to network 20 along with a master directory database 31. Event service server 41, an event client 42 and an event client 43 are connected to network 21 along with a replicate directory database 32. Event client 42, a directory client 50 a, a directory client 50 b, and a directory client 50 c are connected to network 22. Event client 43, a directory client 50 d, a directory client 50 e, and a directory client 50 f are connected to network 23. Event client server 44, a directory client 50 g, a directory client 50 h, and a directory client 50 i are connected to network 24. Directory clients 50 a-50 f are in electrical communication with replicate directory database 32, and directory clients 50 g-50 i are in electrical communication with master directory database 31.

Servers 30 and 40-43, and clients 50 a-50 i may be represented by a variety of computing devices, such as mainframes, personal computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), etc. Distributed data processing system 10 may includes additional servers, clients, networks, routers, and other devices not shown.

Distributed data processing system 10 may include the Internet with network 20, network 21, network 22, network 23 and network 24 representing a worldwide collection of networks and gateways that use the TCP/IP suite of protocols to communicate with one another. Of course, distributed data processing system 10 may also include a number of different types of networks, such as, for example, an intranet, a local area network (LAN), or a wide area network (WAN).

The present invention could be implemented on a variety of hardware platforms. FIG. 1A is intended as an example of a heterogeneous computing environment and not as an architectural limitation for the present invention.

With reference now to FIG. 1B, a diagram depicts typical computer architecture of a data processing system, such as those shown in FIG. 1A, in which the present invention may be implemented. Data processing system 60 contains one or more central processing units (CPUs) 62 connected to internal system bus 61, which interconnects random access memory (RAM 63, read-only memory (ROM) 64, and input/output adapter 65, which supports various I/O devices, such as printer 70, disk units 71, or other devices not shown, such as a sound system, etc. A communication adapter 66, a user interface adapter 67, and a display adapter 68 are also connected to bus 61. Communication adapter 66 provides bus 61 with access to a communication link 72. User interface adapter 67 connects bus 61 to various user devices, such as keyboard 73 and mouse 74, or other device not shown, such as a touch screen, stylus, etc. Display adapter 68 connects bus 61 to a display device 75.

Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the hardware in FIG. 1B may vary depending on the system implementation. For example, the system may have one or more processors, and other peripheral devices may be used in addition to or in place of the hardware depicted in FIG. 1B. The depicted example is not meant to imply architectural limitations with respect to the present invention. In addition to being able to be implemented on a variety of hardware platforms, the present invention may be implemented in a variety of software environments. A typical operating system may be used to control program execution within the data processing system.

Referring to FIGS. 1A and 2, as known by those with ordinary skill in the art, directory service provider server 30 manipulates data within master directory database 31 as directed by a directory data manipulation request from one of directory clients 50 a-50 i, and master directory database 30 thereafter replicates the manipulated data within master directory database 30 to replicate directory database 31. A directory event system 11 in accordance with the present invention provides event notification(s) to one or more of directory clients 50 g-50 i upon the manipulation of data in master directory database 31 by directory service provider server 10, and provides the event notification(s) to one or more of directory clients 50 a-50 f upon a replication of the manipulated data from master directory database 31 to replicate directory database 32. Directory service provider server 30 is therefore not burdened with the task of providing the event notification(s) to directory clients 50 a-50 i. As a result, directory service provider server 30 is consistently available to timely and effectively handle all directory data manipulation requests from directory clients 50 d-50 i.

Directory event system 11 will now be described herein as implemented within event master server 40, event service server 41, and event client server 42. However, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate software equivalents for event master server 40, event service server 41, and event client server 42.

Directory event system 11 comprises an event message provider 40 a and a queue 40 b within event master server 40. Directory service provider server 30 operatively shares queue 40 b with event message provider 40 a. Queue 40 b serves as the only link between directory event system 11 and directory service provider server 30 to thereby enable directory event system 11 and directory service provider server 30 to operate independent of each other. Event message provider 40 a implements an event message routine 80 in accordance with the present invention as shown in FIG. 3A.

Referring additionally to FIG. 3A, during stage S82 of routine 80, event message provider 40 a monitors queue 40 b to determine if directory service provider server 30 has sent a modification message MM_(N) to queue 40 b. Modification message MM_(N) is the description of a directory data manipulation request received by directory service provider server 30 and the corresponding manipulated data within master directory database 31. Upon a determination that modification message MM_(N) is in queue 40 b, event message provider 40 a proceeds to stage S84 of routine 80 to assign a sequence number SN_(N) to modification message MM_(N) and to write sequence number SN_(N) to master directory database 31. During its next replicate cycle, master directory database 31 replicates all data to replicate directory database 32 to thereby store the manipulated data and sequence number SN_(N) within replicate directory database 32. Sequence number SN_(N) serves as a marker indicating the corresponding manipulated data from master directory database 31 is stored within replicate directory database 32.

Event message provider 40 a proceeds to stage S86 to provide an event message EM_(N) to event service server 41. Event message EM_(N) includes an event notification EN_(N) that is modification message MM_(N) or an edited version thereof. Event message EM_(N) further includes sequence number SN_(N). Event message provider 40 a then returns to stage S82 to await modification message MM_(N+1).

Referring again to FIGS. 1A and 2, directory event system 11 further comprises a replicate data monitor 41 a and a queue 41 b within event service server 41. In response to event message EM_(N), replicate data monitor 41 a implements an event notification routine 90 in accordance with the present invention as shown in FIG. 3B.

Referring additionally to FIG. 3B, during stage S92 of routine 90, replicate data monitor 41 a stores sequence number SN_(N) within queue 41 b. Replicate data monitor 41 a proceeds to stage S94 of routine 90 to poll replicate directory database 32 for a sequence number SN_(MAX) stored therein. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate there can be a significant gap of time from a completion of the writing of sequence number SN_(N) to master directory database 31 by event message provider 40 a and a subsequent completion of the replication of all of the data within master directory database 31, including the manipulated data and sequence number SN_(N), to replicate directory database 32. As such, those of ordinary skill in the art will further appreciate that sequence number SN_(N) being greater than sequence number SN_(MAX) is an indication that the replication of all of the data within master directory database 31, including the manipulated data and sequence number SN_(N), has not occurred. Conversely, those of ordinary skill in the art will further appreciate that sequence number SN_(N) being less than or equal to sequence number SN_(MAX) is an indication that the replication of all of the data within master directory database 31, including the manipulated data and sequence number SN_(N) has occurred.

Thus, during stage S96 of routine 90, replicate data monitor 41 a compares sequence number SN_(N) and sequence number SN_(MAX) to determine if sequence number SN_(N) is less than or equal to sequence number SN_(MAX). If sequence number SN_(N) is greater than sequence number SN_(MAX), replicate data monitor 41 a loops back to stage S94. If sequence number SN_(N) is less than or equal to sequence number SN_(MAX), replicate data monitor 41 a proceeds to stage S98 to provide event notification EN_(N) (or an edited version thereof) to event client server 42 and event client server 43.

Referring again to FIGS. 1A and 2, directory event system 11 further comprises an event notifier 42 a and a directory client register 42 b within event client server 42. Each directory client of directory clients 50 a-50 c selectively registers for one or more event services via directory client register 42 b. Event notifier 42 a provides event notification EN_(N) to each directory client 50 a-50 c that registered for an event service corresponding to event notification EN_(N). In response to event notification EN_(N), the registered directory client(s) 50 a-50 c can immediately poll replicate directory database 32 for the corresponding manipulated data.

Directory event system 11 also comprises an event notifier analogous to event notifier 42 a and a directory client register analogous directory client register 42 b within event client server 43 and event client server 44. Event client server 43 provides event notification EN_(N) to the registered directory client(s) 50 d-50 f in response to event notification EN_(N) from event service server 41. In response to event notification EN_(N), the registered directory client(s) 50 d-50 f can immediately poll replicate directory database 32 for the corresponding manipulated data. Event client server 44 provides event notification EN_(N) to the registered directory client(s) 50 g-50 i in response to event notification EN_(N) from event master server 40. In response to event notification EN_(N), the registered directory client(s) 50 g-50 i can immediately poll master directory database 31 for the corresponding manipulated data.

It is important to note that while the present invention has been described in the context of a fully functioning data processing system, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the processes of the present invention are capable of being distributed in the forms of instructions in a computer readable medium and a variety of other forms, regardless of the particular type of signal bearing media actually used to carry out the distribution. Examples of computer readable media include media such as EPROM, ROM, tape, paper, floppy disc, hard disk drive, RAM, CD-ROM, and transmission-type media, such as digital and analog communications links.

While the embodiments of the present invention disclosed herein are presently considered to be preferred, various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The scope of the invention is indicated in the appended claims, and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalents are intended to be embraced therein. 

1-4. (canceled)
 5. A method for processing directory events in a computer, comprising: operating a master database to replicate a data manipulation and a sequence number to a replicate directory database, said sequence number corresponding to an event notification; and operating an event service server to provide said event notification to an event client server in response to said replication of said sequence number to said replicate directory database operating said event client server to provide said event notification to at least one directory client registered to receive said event notification. 6-18. (canceled)
 19. A system, comprising: an event master server configured to assign a sequence number to a manipulation of a data within a master directory database; an event service server configured to determine said sequence number being stored within a replicate directory database; and an event client server configured to provide an event notification to at least one directory client when said sequence number is being stored within said replicated directory database, said event notification corresponding to said manipulation of said data.
 20. (canceled)
 21. (canceled)
 22. A system comprising: one or more directory service providers configured to manipulate data stored in at least one master directory database, each data manipulation assigned a sequence number by an event master server and each data manipulation replicated to at least one replicate directory database based on the assigned sequence number; and an event client server configured to notify at least one directory client based on the replication to each replicate directory database wherein the directory service provider and a directory event system are linked only by a queue. 23-25. (canceled)
 26. A system comprising: one or more directory service providers configured to manipulate data stored in at least one master directory database, each data manipulation assigned a sequence number by an event master server and each data manipulation replicated to at least one replicate directory database based on the assigned sequence number; an event client server configured to notify at least one directory client based on the replication to each replicate directory database; and further comprising a directory client register, wherein the directory client register is configured to allow each directory client to selectively register for one or more event services. 